Chief of Staff to the First Lady Melanne Verveer introduces Mrs. Clinton at the Opera House in L'viv, Ukraine (1997)

The complete audio files of Mr. Kofi Annan’s address, as well as Mrs. Clinton’s speech are included below. Mrs. Clinton, who is highly regarded as a champion of women’s issues, was very enthusiastically received by the audience. Ukraine was mentioned by Mrs. Clinton in the context of trafficking of women. Hillary Clinton visited Ukraine in 1997 and spoke out on related women's issues during her trip. The relevant passages from her speech yesterday are quoted here:

" … I also believe that we have to take a much stronger stand against the trafficking of women and girls which another international human rights violation that will continue to haunt us into the 21st century if we do not act now. An estimated 1 to 2 million women and girls, the numbers are hard to find as you can imagine, are trafficked every year around the world, forced into labor, domestic servitude or sexual exploitation. Women sold as domestics and slaves in illegal sweat shops are sometimes literally worked to death. Women and children trafficked into the sex industry are exposed to deadly diseases such as HIV and AIDS.

"I have spoken to young girls in northern Thailand whose parents were persuaded to sell them as prostitutes. They received a great deal of money by their standards. You can often tell a home where a girl has been sold because they might even have a satellite dish or an addition built on to the house. But I met the girls who had come home after they had been used up, after they had contracted HIV and AIDS. If you’ve ever held the hand of a 13-year old girl dying of AIDS, you can understand how critical it is to take every step possible to prevent this happening to any other girl anywhere in the world.

"I also in the Ukraine heard of women who told me with tears running down their faces that the young women in their communities were disappearing – they answered ads that promised a much better future in another place, and they were never heard from again.

"This is an international criminal activity with traffickers operating boldly across international borders. But we are finally, as a world, beginning to address it. Next week in Vienna, the United Nations will be negotiating a protocol on trafficking in women and children as part of the organized crime convention. And all of us have a stake in making sure that this new instrument of international cooperation will set standards for efforts to prevent trafficking, punish traffickers, and protect victims, and strengthen the global fight to end this invasive human rights violation and transnational criminal problem.

"The United States government is working closely with the governments of Italy, Israel, Finland, and the Ukraine on this critical issue, and I invite other countries to join as well..."

Hillary Rodham Clinton, March 4, 1999

" … Violence against women is direct violation of human rights."

"… From issues of mortality to morality, women pay a higher price."

"… Gender equality is still far from being a reality."

"… 50% of the population provides only 5% of the United Nations Secretariat."

Kofi Annan, Secretary General of the United Nations, March 4, 1999

Hillary Rodham Clinton - March 4, 1999 (25 min.) Kofi Annan - March 4, 1999 (18 min.) RealAudio Player v5 or higher required ===>

Free download

The 1998 CSW meetings placed extra emphasis on the issue of trafficking of women. This year, the primary focus included the broader issues of the state of women’s health and institutional mechanisms for the advancement of women. Within the framework of these two focal points, the World Federation of Ukrainian Women’s Organizations (WFUWO) which is a non-governmental organization in Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations, has issued two statements (see links below) with respect to health: one regarding trafficking of women, and the other on the legacy of Chornobyl.

Statement regarding Health and Trafficking of Women prepared for the 43rd session of the Commission on the Status of Women

Chornobyl's Disastrous Effect on Women's Health

The five representatives pictured above are attending various CSW forums, caucuses, sessions and meetings taking place this month at the UN.

L to R: Yaroslava Rubel, WFUWO; Iryna Kurowyckyj, International Council of Women; Nadia Shmigel, WFUWO; Chrystyna Nawrocky, WFUWO; Olya Stawnychy, WFUWO Main Representative; Hanya Krill, WFUWO.

Story and photos: A. Krill, BRAMA.